The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of bed accessories and more specifically relates to in-bed patient-positioning and manipulation systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many individuals in modern society sleep in beds. Residences and other facilities may provide beds for individuals who reside therein to use for resting and sleeping periods. Patients who are disabled or bedridden often have difficulty positioning themselves in beds. When for example hospital beds are in the upright position (back is upright in relation to the rest of the bed), patients have a tendency to slide downwards with the sheets. Many are unable to pull themselves back up without assistance. This may lead to an uncomfortable positioning for the patient. Patients are typically frustrated by this process and resort to contacting medical staff to help them get to a more comfortable position.
Medical staff often assist patients in various tasks. Moving a patient repeatedly can be a painful and difficult process for the staff member and for the patient. The repeated lifting of patients in awkward positioning may lead to back strain and injuries to the staff and/or patients. Further, the time and effort consumed by the process is not cost-effective for the health industry. The present methods and means are not effective.
Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,469,588; 4,797,960; 5,390,379; 5,608,929; 5,901,388; 7,293,303; 7,111,338; and 6,629,323. This art is representative of bed accessories. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.
Ideally, a patient maneuvering means for use with a bed should be user-friendly and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable in-bed patient-positioning and manipulation system to maneuver patients to desired position(s) and to avoid the above-mentioned problems.